The Ag Department first announced it as “exciting changes” to school lunches. Then a student tried the new menu and was admitted to the vomitorium for evaluation. Then another. Then several more. Before too long there was lost appetite pandemic. In response to the criticism, the caloric regs were loosened a little — which brings us to some good news, and some bad news. The good news: Michelle Obama says they’re working to make school lunches more “delicious.” The bad news: She’s referring to the same administration that said they were going to make health care more affordable.

First lady Michelle Obama said Friday that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was working on making school lunches “delicious” after the implementation of new school meal regulations that have drawn fire from some conservative critics.

“I believe that that legislation is truly one of the greatest legacies that we can leave our children. Because of this act … 32 million American children are getting more of the nutrition they need to learn and grow and be successful,” Obama told workers at the USDA.

“And I do hope that it’s delicious,” she added, to laughter. “We’re working on that, yes indeed.”

Last autumn, conservative critics of the new standards — which cap meal calories at 650 for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, at 700 calories for middle school students and 850 calories for high school students — charged that the restrictions made meals unappetizing to children.

And by “conservative critics” they mean “anybody who tried eating the stuff”:

Have any of these supposed attempts to get kids to eat better ever included calling on parents not to rely on the school for everything and instead pack their own brown bag lunches? Sorry, silly question.

USDA flavor scientists, pictured above engineering a substance that will make cardboard taste a little like blueberries, are working to make school lunches more delicious, according to First Lady Michelle Obama